A summary of some of the most frequent dangers reported in research laboratories
Whether you’re a seasoned member of a commercial research team, an aspiring scientist, or a lab manager, it’s important to be aware of the risks and hazards you might face at work.
As a natural consequence of being located at the forefront of scientific discovery, many laboratories provide more significant hazards and risks than the typical workplace. Therefore, you and the entire team must be aware of every laboratory hazard, whether you’re searching for treatments, scientific breakthroughs, or new technologies.
With a thorough grasp of the dangers and risks associated with laboratory work, you and your team will be able to perform to your best potential, combining excellent research with safe practice. Therefore, we’ve provided a list of typical risks and hazards in contemporary laboratories and their potential preventive measures.
- Risks from chemicals
Many working in laboratories often handle chemicals as part of their job, but this presents dangers and hazards. Many organic and inorganic compounds are poisonous and damaging to the skin and eyes. Anyone who works with chemicals should wear full safety gear, and the lab should have tools to treat people who get too close to chemicals or clean up spills.
- Preventive measures
The best way to manage the dangers of dealing with these toxic compounds is through good prevention regarding chemical hazards. All labs must practice good chemical segregation since certain substances can interact with one another to cause chemical reactions, fires, and even explosions. To further reduce the risk of chemical exposure for your team, ensure they have access to protective clothing and practice proper housekeeping.
- Electric Risks
When dealing with electricity, even the most seasoned research worker may forget fundamental safety rules; for this reason, safety precautions must be taken throughout the laboratory. Electrical equipment near liquids is hazardous. Hence, these should be equipped with ground-fault circuit interrupters to shut off the circuit if any current flows to the ground.
- Preventive measures
Electrical dangers can be readily overlooked in laboratories, which often have a higher prevalence of health and safety risks than in other jobs. But because electrical hazards can be fatal, reducing exposure to them is essential. Ground-fault circuit interrupters should be installed in every power outlet exposed to moisture. Additionally, flexible extension cords must be kept in good condition and never utilized in place of permanent wiring. One can use electrical pendants in areas where it is feasible instead of stringing cords about the room.
- Biological Risks
Potential biological dangers can arise when bacteria, viruses, blood, tissue, and/or physiological fluids are used in a laboratory setting. Each of these items may contain pathogens or dangerous allergies that could endanger the lab crew. Even if the risks are unknown, all lab team members must be provided with adequate protection because the impacts of the diseases and allergens can occur immediately or take a long time to appear.
The team may spread illnesses that humans and animals with whom they have contact can contract and become carriers of. This means that biological risks could pose a serious risk to everyone they come into contact with, not just the lab personnel handling the materials. Therefore, biohazards, one of the biggest threats to a modern research lab, must be carefully thought through to ensure that the team and the public are safe from infectious substances.
- Preventative actions
Keeping your lab safe from a biological disaster requires careful storage and security measures. To reduce risk, wearing the proper protective clothing and maintaining biological agents in their designated locations is crucial. In addition, systems and practices should be in place for the use, handling, storage, and transportation of biological risks. Proper housekeeping is also essential for reducing biological risk, including cleaning work surfaces and correctly discarding waste.
- Physical Risks
With all the novel dangers in today’s laboratories, it’s easy to lose sight of the more mundane, physical threats. There are frequent trip hazards and handling errors in busy, buzzing labs.
Handling is one of the top worries for all lab managers since research team members can become injured if safe handling guidelines are not followed. In addition, the health and welfare of the research team can be jeopardized by hot, heavy, and sharp equipment. Because of this, it’s crucial to supply complete and appropriate handling equipment, such as safety gloves. Also, proper lifting instructions should be provided so the entire team can lift and carry without risk of harm.
- Preventative actions
Training that is both effective and thorough, as well as meticulous housekeeping, can frequently eliminate the potential for your staff to be exposed to any physical dangers in the laboratory. Staff members should receive training on proper lifting, pulling, and pushing techniques, the risks of repetitive motions, and how to handle various pieces of equipment. So that people don’t slip, trip, or fall in the lab, it’s important that all potential hazards are thrown away or cleaned up right away. A safety policy can also assist in identifying potential hazards and safeguarding your research team from them.
Conclusion
There are several areas for improvement in research labs. Worker health and safety are readily ignored in the daily craziness of running research trials. We can detect and fix common mistakes and avoid disease or damage, but we need the right advice, a trained eye, and practice spotting the ordinary.